Candidate Questionnaire and Forum Schedule
Independent Texans
P. O. Box 14294
Austin, TX 78761
512-303-2704
www.independenttexans.org
February 28, 2003
Dear Candidate:
Independent Texans (IT) was founded last year in recognition that a plurality of Texas voters identify as independents. They vote for the candidate, not the party. Like George Washington, they hold a healthy distrust of political parties.
IT is not a party, but we do endorse candidates. IT has been conducting a field test this last year in the Austin area. We discovered that independent voters are both politically diverse and strongly unified in their support for political and electoral reform. They want a more open, competitive political process free of the partisanship that is endangering our democracy.
IT currently has approximately 500 members in the city of Austin. IT is continuing our "field test" in the current Austin city council races to debunk the notion that young (under 30) first time voters will not vote in local elections. Our "test" is to mobilize 3-5,000 new, young voters to vote in this election.
Independent Texans is holding an endorsement forum on March 22, at UT-Austin, in the Chemical & Petroleum Building, Rm. 2.208, from 3-5 p.m. Although we are asking all city council candidates to fill out the enclosed questionnaire, the forum is only for mayoral and Place 5 candidates. If you are interested in our endorsement, please fill out the following questionnaire and return it to us VIA E-MAIL NO LATER than midnight, March 12th as it will be posted on our web site and sent to our members with a ballot. Members will have one week to vote by mail, e-mail, or they can vote at the meeting on March 22. Results will be released to the Austin media on Monday, March 24th.
The agenda and format for the two panels is attached with an agenda. If you are a candidate for mayor or Place 5, please let us know if you will attend. We look forward to hearing from you, and good luck in your race!
Sincerely,
Misty Lizarraga
Acting Secretary
Enclosures
Independent Texans Austin City Council Questionnaire
1. What is the most important problem facing the City of Austin at this time and what special interests would you have to work with or around to tackle this problem? Please include in your answer why you think you are qualified to meet this challenge.
2. Would you vote for an amendment to the city charter, to be placed on the ballot for the earliest possible city charter election (May of 2004), to strengthen our current term limits law -- an amendment that would, a. abolish the petition option that allows two term incumbents to run again and, b. close the loophole which allows council members to simply "switch seats" in order to run for more than two terms?
3. What do you think can be done to standardize the petition process to eliminate the possibility of political favoritism and to reduce the cost to the city?
4. Would you vote for an amendment to the city charter, to be placed on the ballot for the earliest possible city charter election (May of 2004), to reduce the number of signatures required to place an initiative or referendum on the city ballot from the current number (approximately 40,000 signatures) to the same number required for a charter amendment (no more than 20,000)?
5. Would you vote for an amendment to the city charter, to be placed on the ballot for the earliest possible city charter election (May 2004), that would clarify the language in our city charter in order to guarantee citizens the right to referendum?
6. Would you be willing to participate in Independent Texan's "experiment" to increase the participation of young and first time voters in city elections -- as mentioned in our cover letter?
Independent Texans Austin City Council Forum
Saturday, March 22, 3-5 p.m. UT Chemical and Petroleum Bldg., Room 2.208 26th & Speedway (parking is next to and north of the building)
Format
There will be a panel for Place 5 candidates and a panel for mayoral candidates only (although IT members will also be voting on Place 2 and 6). There will be no panel for Place 2 and 6 candidates. Each panel will last approximately 50 minutes. Candidates will have 2 minutes to open followed by questions from the audience written on cards and read by the moderator. After questions candidates will have 2 minutes to close.
Candidates receiving the IT endorsement must reach a 60% threshold approval rating by IT members. If there is more than one candidate who receives 60%, the one with the highest number of votes wins. Votes will be tallied after the meeting and released to the media on Monday, March 24th, and posted on the IT web site.
Agenda
3:00 Welcome by our moderator
3:10 Austin Mayoral Candidates
4:00 Place 5 Candidates
4:50 Placing Final Votes - done by secret ballot
5:00 Adjourn